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Pelor (Deity)
Pelor is a god in the world of Athas. He is one of twenty such deities to be counted among the Pantheonic Religion. In terms of the breadth of influence, he is considered a greater deity, and in fact often serves as a sort of Leader figure among the good-aligned gods. He is the most commonly worshipped god among human lands. Dogma The sun is the source of light, warmth and life, and all living creatures embody some degree of its energy. If you embrace that light and make it part of yourself, you can use it to illuminate the dark corners of the world, where evil and death lurk. Known as the Shining Light, the church of Pelor is one of the most altruistic and welcoming established religions of the Pantheon, or in fact of any relgion. The primary goal of Pelor's church is to ensure the well-being of its members and all living people. Often, a temple of Pelor functions both as a center of spirituality and a place of sanctuary. Pelor preachers that protecting those who cannot protecting themselves is one of the most important things one can do. The church, while not warlike, often builds many remote temples in the style of small fortresses to defend nearby settlements in the event of an attack. The Shining Light considers all living beings to be sacred, and its members welcome all equally. Undead, however, are abominations in the sight of the Shining One--the antithesis of light, life and warmth, and incapable of redemption. Therefore, members of Pelor's church seek out and destroy these creatures of negative energy without hesitation. Pelor is almost universally respected , if not worshipped, across the surface of Athas, though creatures who dwell in the Underdark revile an despise him. The church views the Underdark as an unholy place and there has been much discussion and many debates over whether the church should lead a crusade to bring the Light into its depths. Prayers Pelor's services involve communal prayer, the singing of hymns, and the distribution of alms. Prayers to Pelor are often affirmations in the first person, for example, "I am merciful, just as the Sun of Mercy shines on me." Weddings and rites of passage often take place at the beginning of a new season. Farmers often request a ritual known as the Blessing of the Sun-Kissed Field. The Hill tribes of Barbarians (and some Kellid tribes) engage in a bizarre ritual honoring Pelor called the Sun Dance. The Sun Dance takes place during the week of Midsummer (the summer solstice), and lasts from four to seven days, from sundown to sundown. Celebrating the renewal of life that the Sun brings, the participants dance around a central pole (the "sun-pole"). The participants would offer up their flesh as a sacrifice, skewering their flesh with pieces of bone or wood, which were then attached to the top of the sun-pole by long hide ropes. The dancers would then dance about the pole, staring straight into the sun, leaning away from the pole until their flesh gave way. During this time, the participants would often experience visions. After the dancers all tore free, or after four days, the Sun Dance ended. The exhausted dancers were laid down on beds of sage and would recite their visions to the priest. These visions could hold new songs, new rituals, or even prophecies of the future. The overall feeling for everyone present was one of renewal and balance and the relationships between people and nature were once again reaffirmed. The self-inflicted torture of the sun dance represents death, the struggle with the Nerull that all must go through. The "breaking away" represents Pelor's victory over Nerull through rebirth and renewal brought on by the ever-rising sun. Domains Untouchable, the sun hangs in the sky, bringing light, warmth and ultimately life itself. It enables crops to grow, warms the land and its denizens and brings life to those who toil on the surface of the world. This aspect of the sun's power is not only manifestaton of its divinity, however. Some of the vilest creatures in existence cannot tolerate the sun. Its holy rays scorch the flesh from their bones or destroy them outright. Life is more valuable than anything else in the world. It is a rare and precious gift, and preserving it is the highest calling to which one can aspire. Those who cheat life and pursue a path of death (or worse, undeath) are fools who bring only pain and misfortune to the world. By preserving life and health, you take a stand against death and heal some of the world's ills. Try to alleviate suffering and pain wherever you go, in whatever form it takes. Never withold healing or aid from those who need it, even fromt he blackest of souls. Only creatures that spurn life are without hope of redemption. Living is a struggle and no one can endure its hardships entirely alone. But altruism does not always come naturally. Doing for others requires sacrifice--sometimes the ultimate sacrifice of your own life or livlihood. The benevolent and just ruler, the altruistic missionary and the freedom fighter are all followers of good, each pursuing the path to purity in a different way, each seeking to redeem the souls of the lost. Doing for others is far more important than doing for yourself. The souls of mortals are treasures, not avenues to power. Self-denial is a cornerstone of Pelor's philosophy, holding that a mortal cannot truly learn the meaning of goodness without facing true evil. But remember that like true evil, goodness is composed of both intent and action. It isn't enough to harbor kind thoughts in your heart; they must be expressed in how one lives and speaks. The word "strength conjures up images of muscled warriors swinging massive weapons and lifting great weights. But the concept of strength is more than physical, and the church of Pelor preaches strength in conviction, strength of will and strength of character. Worshippers Pelor is a popular deity, greatly beloved by the commonfolk. He is particularly revered in Spira and much of Rikea. A church of Pelor is popular anywhere, especially among common people. Since crops need sunlight to grow, a temple of Pelor is often the first place a farmer stops to pray for a good season. Clergy Pelor's clergy heal the sick, bless crops, help the needy, and destroy evil and the undead. They are caring and nurturing, with backbones of steel. The Pelorian priesthood attracts many naive youths to his service, but training is rigorous enough to send many of them back to their farms. Pelor's elite priests are called Radiant Servants. Pelor's favored weapon is the Morningstar. Vestments are typically sky blue or gold. Unlike most members of the Pantheon who are not counted among the Nature deities, Pelor is served by a small number of druids, who behave in ways similar to his clerics, but with a greater emphasis on the care of plants and animals. They usually associate themselves with settlements rather than living as hermits, aiding the community with their hands, spells, and animal companions wherever they can. They are considered to have priest status within the Pelorian church, though they have a separate hierarchy. Although Pelor's church has a few heresies and schisms, the head priests of his powerful temples are in contact with one another and with the religion’s overall leadership. If the secular leaders of one nation place an onerous tax on Pelor’s temples, word will spread through Pelor’s hierarchy. Other nations might be persuaded by their Pelorians to apply diplomatic pressure to get the tax repealed. Temples Pelor's temples are tall, with large windows; many are stained-glass cathedrals. They are arranged so that the sun shines into most of the rooms during the day, and many feature large courtyards. They tend to be airy and blindingly white. Temple trappings are typically yellow or gold. They are always kept clean. Many Pelorian temples have hospital wings. In War In battle, clerics focus on undead enemies first, if applicable. Most pursue support spellcasting roles, though some take advantage of the church's more militant training to deck out in heavy armor, get in close and bring the wrath of the sun down upon them. First-Aid, however, is the number one priority in any conflict. They also try to minimize collateral damage or harm to innocents or civilians. Holy Days Followers of Olidammara worship on Sunday mornings. Holidays '--Midsummer's Day' '--Breadgiving Day' '--The Feast of Edoira' '--Kalis-Mas' In Mythology Pelor is one of the twenty deities to be counted among the Pantheon. According to the lore, he is the eldest and some say most powerful of the Pantheon. Even those who contest his power do not argue his influence. He is often depicted as the leader of the Pantheon and the husband of the moon goddess Ehlonna, as well as the steadfast friend of Heironeous. In the Old Tales, Pelor is one of the gods that fought against the Primordials '''during the First War'. He acted as one of the leaders, who rallied the gods and led them to victory. In fact, it was he who struck down the Queen of the Primordials, ending the War. After the defeat of the Titans, he was chosen by the others to lead the Pantheon. It was Pelor who hung the sun in the sky and he had a heavy hand in the shaping of the world. Pelor loved the Spring brought by his sister-in-law, the autumn brought by Yondalla and the Winter brought by Nerull. He desired the verdant beauty of the world last longer, so Pelor created the Summer. Pelor is prominently featured in many of the Old Tales, especially in any scene in which the gods have gathered. He rarely speaks when the gods bicker, instead listening to all arguements before issuing judgement. He is usually depicted as humorless but just and wise. Pelor is often seen with Heironeous, and even in the Material Plane, the churches of Pelor and Heironeous are steadfast allies. Pelor's great enemy is Nerull, god of death, winter and the father of the undead. There are many tales of the two gods clashing, and many tales of their champions engaging in epic battles. His personal avatar, and the one commonly associated with him, is a shining Eagle with white, shining eyes. He is said to come when the need is great and that the beat of his wings can cause a windstorm. Parables '--Parable of the Hungry Man:' This myth tells of a man who was driven to crime out of a combination of desperate poverty and foolish pride. His community forgave him and fed and clothed him when his perfidy was discovered. '--Gift of Eternal Light:''' This is an epic saga of an ancient kingdom threatened upon by mortal, demonic, and undead evil. Though sorely tested by their foes, the people of the kingdom had their morale restored each morning at the sight of the rising sun. In a climactic battle, the sun's rays helped defeat the demons and undead, and the Pelorians were victorious. An interesting detail is that this myth claims the sun's rays are the spirits of the righteous, a claim that no other Pelorian texts makes. _________________________________________________________________________________ Afterlife Pelor's realm is a vast manor surrounded by orchards, vineyards, and farmland for miles, resting atop the largest island of Elysium. It's said the sun there warms the hearts of the good and illuminates the secret acts of evil. Trivia *Pelor is the husband of Ehlonna and best friend of Heironeous. He is also the archenemy of Nerull. Notes *Pelor's favored weapon is the Morningstar. All clerics of Pelor are proficient in its use.